Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Middletown
Trash Day
Trash is collected weekly Monday through Friday, depending on your neighborhood zone.
Recycling
Bi-weekly (every other week) on your regular trash collection day, following the city's Gold or Red schedule.
Yard Waste
Collected weekly on your regular trash day (brush must be tied in bundles up to 4 feet long and under 70 lbs).
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential trash and recycling services are contracted through Rumpke and billed as a combined monthly fee on your City of Middletown water utility bill.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, In-Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Senior citizens (age 65+) and disabled residents with an annual household income under $30,250 can apply for a reduced rate.
Brown or Green Bin (Trash)
Place bins at the curb by 6:00 AM on collection day. Lids must be closed, and containers should not exceed 50 lbs if using personal cans.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food wrappers
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Small, safely wrapped broken glass
Green (often with a Green or Yellow Lid) Bin (Recycling)
Items must be clean, empty, and placed loosely in the cart without plastic bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard (flattened)
- ✓Paper and junk mail
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Medical sharps
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses)
Yard Waste Bin
Brush must be bundled, tied with twine, cut under 4 feet, and weigh less than 50 lbs. Leaves and grass must be bagged.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Small branches
- ✓Shrub trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on regular collection day (with advance notice)
Placement
Place bulk items at the curb alongside your regular trash bins by 6:00 AM. Ensure they are not blocking traffic or sidewalks.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches and chairs
- ✓ Mattresses (must be wrapped)
- ✓ Non-Freon appliances
- ✓ Large toys
Not Accepted
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Lead-acid batteries
- ✕ Wet paint
- ✕ Hazardous chemicals
- ✕ Construction debris
A fee may apply for excessive amounts of bulk trash or specific items like appliances containing Freon, which require specialized handling.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, trash and recycling collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week. Friday routes will be collected on Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste follows the same holiday delay schedule as standard refuse.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is generally no disruption to the Monday-Friday collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Autumn
October - DecemberMiddletown offers an annual leaf pickup program. Residents should rake leaves to the curb (not into the street) just before their scheduled sector pickup date to prevent storm drain blockages.
Winter
December - FebruaryDuring heavy Ohio snowstorms, collection times may be delayed. Ensure your bins are placed in a cleared area at the end of your driveway and are not buried behind snowbanks where trucks cannot reach them.
Post-Holidays
JanuaryReal Christmas trees can be placed curbside for collection after the holidays. Please remove all tinsel, lights, ornaments, and the tree stand. Do not place trees in plastic bags.
Local Tips & Community Info
Maintaining a Tidy Property: Your Weekly Rumpke Allowances
Keeping Middletown clean is a collaborative effort between residents and our contracted waste hauler, Rumpke, Inc. For a flat monthly utility rate of $21.00, households are entitled to comprehensive curbside refuse removal. Under this agreement, you are allowed to place up to five 35-gallon containers out each week, provided no single can or bag exceeds 70 pounds in overall weight. All refuse must be fully secured in heavy-duty bags or tightly lidded cans to prevent litter from blowing into your neighbors' yards during windstorms. Sanitation crews begin their local routes very early, so it is strictly required that all garbage be placed at the curb between the evening prior and 6:00 a.m. on your designated collection morning. Service routinely occurs Monday through Friday, operating continuously until 3:00 p.m.
Biweekly Recycling Rhythms and Acceptable Goods
Unlike standard weekly garbage collection, Middletown operates its municipal sustainability program on a biweekly schedule. Recycling is actively picked up every other week, falling on the exact same day as your normal trash collection. At the start of the year, Rumpke typically mails out an annual calendar to help you track your designated weeks. If you recently moved in and need a green cart, you can request a 95-gallon recycling container by calling the local Public Works department at 513-425-7766. Acceptable recyclable materials include clean cardboard, paperboard, rinsed plastic jugs, and glass food jars. However, please do not attempt to recycle aluminum foil, wire coat hangers, or rubber garden hoses, as these items act as tanglers and cause severe mechanical issues at the Butler County sorting facilities.
Taking Advantage of Your Weekly Large Item Privilege
A standout feature of the local sanitation contract is the automatic inclusion of one large household item per week. Without needing to call ahead or pay an extra disposal fee, residents can confidently discard a single piece of heavy furniture, a broken chair, or an old mattress right alongside their standard bags. However, strict exclusions apply to any construction-related debris; Rumpke crews will absolutely not take away bricks, chunks of concrete, or heavy remodeling materials. Furthermore, if you need to dispose of an older refrigerator, freezer, or air conditioning unit, you must first hire a certified local technician to drain the Freon. The appliance must visibly display a proper removal sticker and be accompanied by a Rumpke Refrigerant Recovery Statement, which can be picked up inside the City Building lobby.
Preparing Brush, Limbs, and Fall Yard Debris
Landscaping waste requires a little extra preparation before it can be tossed out to the street. Throughout the spring and summer growing seasons, any woody branches or thick brush must be cut down to lengths no longer than four feet. These loose limbs must then be tied with durable cotton twine into neat bundles measuring roughly two feet in diameter, ensuring they still weigh less than the 70-pound limit. Standard grass clippings can simply be comingled with your regular household trash. However, as autumn arrives, Middletown offers a fantastic seasonal perk: residents are permitted to place an absolutely unlimited number of bagged leaves at the curb to help keep our local storm drains completely clear of clogs and blockages.
Drop-off Facilities
Butler County Recycling & Solid Waste District
130 High St, Hamilton, OH 45011
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I need to put my trash out in Middletown?
All household refuse must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled pickup day. The garbage trucks run their routes Monday through Friday between 6:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Can I throw away my old refrigerator with my regular weekly trash?
Rumpke will collect large appliances as your one weekly bulk item, but any unit containing Freon must first be drained by a certified technician. You must attach a Freon removal sticker and a Refrigerant Recovery Statement before putting it by the street.
How often is recycling collected in Middletown?
Curbside recycling is collected on a biweekly basis (every other week), falling on the exact same day of the week as your normal garbage pickup.